Reported coronavirus cases continue to decline statewide

The local communities covered are: Attleboro, Foxboro, Mansfield, Norfolk, North Attleboro, Norton, Plainville, Rehoboth, Seekonk and Wrentham.

Statewide, the number fell to 713 reported cases from 804 — a decrease of 91 cases. That’s a drop of 11.31%. That’s the third consecutive week in at least 10 weeks the number of reported cases has been under 1,000.

Overall, reported cases have dropped 11 consecutive weeks statewide, from 4,999 to 713, or 4,286 cases, which is a decrease of 85.73%.

In Foxboro and Seekonk, there were zero cases. In Norfolk, Plainville, Rehoboth and Wrentham, there was only one reported case in each town.

There were 391 coronavirus tests administered by health officials in the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle with 18 positives, which is a percentage of 4.60%, which is 2.15 points lower than last week. That’s a decrease of nine tests, equalling 2.25%.

The number of COVID-19 cases, however, is not accurate and the figure is likely higher because of the prevalence of home-testing kits. Few positive cases found through home-testing are reported to health officials at this point. Also, many people who become ill with COVID-like symptoms — fever, congestion, sneezing, fatigue, body aches, and headaches — don’t even bother home testing at this point as the virus has weakened and the symptoms caused by the virus are less severe.

For context, the highest number of reported cases statewide for one week was recorded on Jan. 14, 2022, at 132,557.

The highest number locally for one week was 3,463, recorded on Jan. 13, 2022.

All told, since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, the area has recorded 50,772 cases. That’s 25.26% of the 200,793 population in the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle.

Percentages of the disease in each community range from 23% to 29% and the average is 24.64%.

In the week ending March 23 the reported case counts were:

• Attleboro, 4
• Foxboro, 0
• Mansfield, 4
• Norfolk, 1
• North Attleboro, 4
• Norton, 2
• Plainville, 1
• Rehoboth, 1
• Seekonk, 0
• Wrentham, 1

Statewide, the number was 713 confirmed cases with 226 probable cases for a total statewide of 2,148,447 confirmed and probable cases since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

The number of confirmed deaths statewide for the week ending March 23 was 10 and the number of probable deaths was 1.

The number of confirmed deaths statewide since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 is 23,428 and the number of confirmed and probable deaths is 29,934.

A poll for the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle was taken recently and the total number of deaths from the virus is 520. That’s a death rate of 1.02%.

Death totals, per community covered by The Sun Chronicle, since the start of the pandemic are:

• Attleboro, 199
• Foxboro, 29
• Mansfield, 44
• Norfolk, 8
• North Attleboro, 96
• Norton, 18
• Plainville, 22
• Rehoboth, 23
• Seekonk, 15
• Wrentham, 66

Most of the deaths were suffered by the elderly. The average age of death caused by the virus is about 80, according to the state’s Department of Public Health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of reported positive tests for coronavirus nationwide is 4% as of March 23. In the Attleboro area it’s 4.60%.

Emergency room visits for the virus nationwide were down 21.1% since Feb. 3. Hospital admissions for coronavirus were down 13.9% nationwide since Feb. 3. And deaths nationwide were down 16.7% since Feb. 3.